Fuel feeding control means responsive to air blower pressure



y 17,1951 A.- K. FOULDS 2,561,106

FUEL FEEDING CONTROL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO AIR BLOWER PRESSURE Filed Jan. 20, 1945 FIG.3

\9 INVENTOR.

w FIG. 2 M

Patented July 17, 1951 FUEL FEEDING CONTROL MEANS RESPON- SIV E TO AIR BLOWER PRESSURE Andrew K. Foulds, Grosse Pointe, Mich., assignor to Detroit Lubricator Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan 1 Application January 20, 1945, Serial No. 573,683

6 Claims.

The invention relates generally to oil burners and it hasparticular relation to apparatus for controlling the flow of fuel oil to the burner. In a' particular type of fuel burning equipment to which the invention is especially applicable, fuel oil flows to the burner under the influence of gravity, and the burner is of the so-called pot type. Ordinarily in equipment of this character a float valve has been employed in a float chamber for maintaining a certain level of oil, and a metering valve has been located in the outlet of the float chamber so that the oil flowed from the float chamber through the valve and then to the burner.

One object of the present invention is toiprovide improved means for controlling the flow of fuel to the burner.

Another object of the invention is to provide equipment wherein the effect of suction on the flow of fuel may be varied or adjusted in order to permit obtaining variable and desired results.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means or equipment for controlling the flow of fuel to the burner wherein the usual metering valve is eliminated so as thereby to eliminate various precision parts and controls required where metering valves have been used.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, from the drawings relating thereto, and from the claims hereinafter set forth.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a float valve device having a fuel line leading to the burner and a blower control for governing the quantity of fuel oil supplied to the burner in an arrangement constructed according to one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar View illustrating an arrangement constructed according to another form of the invention; and,

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing another form of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is a casing l having a, cover Illa and containing a float valve chamber indicated at I l and the bottom wall of this chamber has a threaded opening I la by means of which the chamber may be connected to a source of fuel oil. This oil flows upwardly into the chamber through a valve element l2 having a vertical inlet opening l3 leading from the opening I la and having transverse valve outlet openings I4 at the upper end of the opening 13 so that the oil may flow upwardly through the opening i3 and into the chamber II. A vertically slidable valve stem I6 has a conical end I! adapted to vary or close the valve port or seat end of the opening [3 through which the fuel must flow. When this stem is moved downwardly a sufficient amount, the upper end of the opening 13 will be closed. At its upper end the stem is connected to a grooved head or collar I 9 and the groove flanges are engaged at opposite sides by a yoke arm 20 carrying a float 2|. This yoke arm has an elongated opening 22 through which a pin 23 extends and the pin is secured at its ends to opposite side walls of the float casing. This arrangement will normally cause a certain substantially constant level of oil to be maintained in the float chamber such as the level LL.

A magnetic safety device 25 including a lever 25a is pivoted at one end, as indicated at 26 above the float, and the other end of this device carries on the end of the lever, a projection 2'! which overlies and is adapted to strike the head IS on the valve stem and forcefully close the valve. In the event the level of oil should for any reason cause the float to rise to a predetermined position near the magnet, sufliciently so that the magnetic force will overcome the friction holding spring 21a, the magnet will swing downwardly pulling the projection 21 with it with force so as to cause a striking blow to be delivered by the projection 21 against the member I9. When the valve stem has been closed under such circumstances, the parts can be returned to their normal positions by a manually movable release 28 having a hook 29 on its lower end by means of which the magnetic device may be raised against the lateral friction of the spring 21a and the force of the magnet. This manual release projects upwardly through a guide opening in the casing cover Illa and is therefore accessible above and from the exterior of the casing.

The float casing includes a second chamber, indicated at 3!, which is divided from the float chamber proper by a partition 3|], and the bottom wall of the second chamber 3| has a threaded opening or outlet 32 which may be connected to a fuel line 33 leading to a burner 34. In the side wall of the float chamber a vent 38 is provided to maintain atmospheric pressure above the oil. 011 flows from the float chamber H into the supply chamber 3| through an opening 39 in the partition 30 located adjacent the bottom of the latter, and this opening communicates with an upwardly directed opening or passageway 4| in the partition. The latter opening 4| in turn communicates with two small vertically separated openings 42 and 43 leading to the chamber 3|. A valve 44 may be provided at the junction of the openings 39 and 4| for closing the inner end of the opening 39 or the passageway 41, if desired. It should now be evident that if the oil in the verticalpassageway .4! is ata certain. height, such as 'to the lineiL--L above mentioned, the oil will flow through the opening 42, and if the height of the oil is sufliciently increased, the oil also can flow through the opening 43.

It will be seen accordingto theconstruction hereafter to be described that thele'vel of the oil in the vertical passageway 41 can beraised by controlling the degree of suction .in chamber 3| relative to the pressure in the chamber l l or in other words, by reducing the air pressure therein, and that in accordance with-thereduction'in'air pressure, a variable amount of oil can-be made to flow into the chamber 3|. What this really .meansis that vthe differential in .air pressure be- .tweenthepressure above the oil in the float'cham- ,ber Ll'rand the airpressure in chamber 3|, will cause-.oil to fiow'into .the chamb'eri3l lI1 "2;QOId- .anee .with this variation or differential .inpres- .sure. Hence,'by increasing the differential, more icilcan be supplied to the'burner asfor instance, tQsupply oil .for rajhigh fire, and by decreasing thedifierential theamount of 'oil can bedecreased .soastosupportalow fire,

'Where the two openings "42 and. 43 are used, the-opening maybe a small opening through whichoil will flow at all times while the upper opening 43 ,may be so located that oil will flow through .it only in thehigh fir sta Thes openings may be so related to the oil level in .the float .chamber and to the differential-in air pressure, and be .of such size that in the low fire .stagesufficient oil will-flow through opening 42 .alone Whereas in the high fire stage, oil'will flow through both openings. The flow through one .or both .openingsmay of course'be varied by varythe .difierentialin.air pressure and it may be preferable to have the Opening '42 located as shown so that -.oil will flow through it even if ..there isnit any differential in air pressure.

For accomplishing 'thedifierential in air presisuresjabove mentioned, a. blower 556 for supplying .air ,through the'bloweroutlet 56a to the burner, .is mounted on and connected to the casing I above the chamber 31. This blower includes a rotary impeller means orfan wheel-| driven by Ian relectricmotor 51a. Adjacent the cover 16a,

anin'let 52 from atmosphere is provided'for the blower .and this leads to a gate opening'53which .may be variably adjusted in size by a sliding gate or valve '54 so as to control'the air inlet opening Ileading to the blower. A;pivotal damper 55 with means for holding or looking it in adjusted position'is also provided in the inlet52 so as to varisablygovern this opening. The blower casingcom- .municates with thechamber 3| through its .inlet '52 by means of an opening 56 in the cover Illa, 'thechamber 3| being otherwise closed to atmos- \phere.v ltwill, therefore, be appreciated that the air pressure in chamber 3| may be reduced "by fan suction and that the suction inchamber 3| .may he aried by changing the blower speed and by adjusting the gate '54 and damper 55. If, with .afigiven, damper setting, the blower is operating at"fu1l "speed, a greater suction will be obtained in the chamber 3| so as to cause moreoil to flow into the chamber 31, and i'f the blower is oper- .ating .for instance at half speed, a reduced suc- ;.tion, i. .e., a higher absolute. pressure, exists so as to reduce the quantity of oil entering the cham- .collect on the chamber bottom, to flow therefrom over the upper edge of opening 32 without building"uplanycoilileveldn the chamber or head pressure on'the'oil line 33. A certain height of oil, depending on the rate of inflow to the chamber .31, .willl'bemaintained in the upwardly extending .part of the line 33 leading to opening 32 and this height will maintain the same level in the burner '34.

,In .thecconstruction shown by Fig. 2, the same float chamber H is provided and the partition .3ll..separatesthis floatchamber from the chamber 3|. 'In'this' case the partitionhasfa-"single small opening 'or calibrated port "60 'at'the out"- .let of thepassaigeway 4| and through whichoil flows "from the float chamber H. A cover fifll closes the casing and'the top wall'npeningsjof chambers H and/3|, except .foranopening 62 above chamber3l. The blowerl'includesanair inletconduit '63 which extends 'over thecasing and'hasdts bottom wall formed by the Cover. The -conduit 63 has i its inlet adjustably closed" by apivotal .damper 6.6 governing the inlet or air, and the opposite end of the-conduit leads 'to the casing 61 of the blower whichhas a Ian wheel or .impeller .means .68 .therein. An outlet duct 68a. .from the casing 6.1.leads to the .burner 34. The blower is driven by an electric motor'llland .thecircuit of this .motor includes .the secondary H of atransformer 212. The secondary Tl .has one end of its .0011 connected directly to a wire 1-3 leading .to themotor. The1other terminal .of the .motor .is connected to a wire, indicated at 1 4,-.adaptedtobe connected to. aselective switch having a contact liconnected to the-other end ofthetransformer element 'l-l and having :a contact 16- connected-to .agmiddleypoint on the transformer element, or secondary coil, (and this selective connection .may :be reflected by .a switch element 11. .A "thermostatic control element, such as Ibimetal, may be, employed to operate the contact end of the switch element H. Then, when a high :fire is required, the thermostatic element being properly arranged, the switch ele- .ment 1-! will-be swung over for engagement with the-contact 15,.and then whena low fire is required the switch element will be swung into engagement with the contact 16. When the contact 15 is engaged by the switch-element H the motor 10 will operate at full speed and then when the'contact J6 is :engagedthe motor III will operate approximately .at .half speed. This same type of control may be-emp1oyed :in connection with the .motor 51a, shown in Fig.1.

The device shown in Fig. 2 operates rsimilarly toth'e "arrangement shown in Fig. 1 that,suc- 'ti'onin theduct163 will create a O'Brtain' SIIctiOn 501 reduced :air 'pressureiinithe chamber 3 I above the oil. "Hence, more oil will flow through the aperture 6 0 when "the "blower *"is operating atfiill speed and -'a smaller "quantity "of oil will flow through the aperture when the blower is "operating at half speed. Controls, such as the damper 66,.may be used 'tof'vary these resultsg'by regulating the admission of air to the. blo{wer wheel '68 and regulating the absolute air pres- '3l. ably closing the opening 90 so as to vary the air flow to the fan wheel. The side wall of the cassure in the chamber 3| so that the flow of oil may be governed as desired.

In Fig. 3 the partition 30 has a vertical passageway opening through its upper edge and fastened and extending laterally-into this passageway there in a Venturi tube 8|. This tube extends upwardly to communicate through the passageway with an opening in the cover 35 and extends downwardly into the chamber 3|, and "its opposed ends are open to the atmosphere and" to the chamber, respectively. The opening or passageway from the float chamber and in the partition through which oil flows is indicatedat 83 and this opening has a smaller upper end 84 which communicates with an opening 85 extendin through the side wall of the tube 8| at its throat so that oil flows into the latter.

Air drawn downwardly through the tube will, by

'Venturi action, cause oil to flow into the tube andthence be discharged into the chamber 3|.

The blower in this arrangement has a fan wheel indicated at 88 and it is driven by a motor 89. The axis of the motor and blower wheel is vertical and the central part or eye of the blower wheel is immediately above an opening 90 in that part of the cover over the chamber A gate or valve 93 is employed for adjusting defining the chamber 3| has an air inlet opening 94 which may be adjustably opened or with the air needed and that these controls may be so related to the Venturi tube 8| that the desired amount of air Will be drawn in through the latter to govern the flow of oil. If the damper 95 is opened fully, less air is drawn in through the tube 8| and hence, suction of oil into the chamber 3| is reduced. Control of the motor may be effected in the same manner as previously described in order to obtain the full and reduced speeds required for high and low fires,

' respectively.

All forms of the invention provide a means for controlling the flow of oil to the burner which is related to and governed by air suction or reduced air pressures at the intake side of the @blower which is preferably employed to furnish air to the burner. Hence, the supply of oil may be related to the operation of the blower in an automatic manner so that the quantity of oil supplied will automatically be varied tocorrespond to the speed of the blower or to the quantity of air supplied. The invention moreover eliminates the need for an adjustable metering valve which must be moved either manually or by thermostatic control to vary the supply of oil. Certa n movable parts are thus eliminated and accordingly there is less likelihood of interruption in the operation of the heating system as occasionally may occur where metering valves are employed. Additionally the invention is characterized by reduction in cost of manufacture due to simplicity and the eliminating of movable parts.

Although more than one form of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be madewithout desupplying liquid fuel to a burner, means forming a second chamber for containin liquid fuel, means for'maintaining a predetermined constant liquid level in said second chamber, a passageway from said second chamber having an inlet below said liquid level and having an outlet communicable with said first-named chamber at a point above said liquid level, a blower for supplying'air to a burner and having its intake side communicable with said first-named chamber and operable to produce a reduced pressure therein'relative to said second chamber, an air intake passageway for said blower and including said first-named chamber, said reduced pressure being operable to cause flow of air through said intake passageway, means positioned in said intake passageway and operable in response to the linear velocity of air flowing therethrough and cooperable with said first-named passageway to cause the liquid therein to rise above said liquid level for discharge into said first-named chamber, and a pair of dampers positioned on the intake side of said blower and operable jointly to control independently the volume of air flowing to said blower and the amount of pressure reduction in said first-named chamber.

'2. A burner control apparatus comprising means forming a chamber having an outlet for supplying liquid fuel to a burner, means forming a second chamber for containing liquid fuel, means for maintaining a predetermined constant liquid level in said second chamber, a passageway from said second chamber having an inlet below said liquid level and having an outlet communicable with said first-named chamber, a blower for supplying air to a burner and having its intake side communicable with said firstnamed chamber and operable to produce a reduced pressure therein relative to said second chamber, an air intake passageway for said blower and including said first-named chamber, said re duced pressure being operable to cause flow of air through said intake passageway, a Venturi tube positioned in said intake passageway and operable in response to the linear velocity of air flowing therethrough, said first-named passageing flow of air to cause the liquid in said firstnamed passageway to rise above said liquid level for discharge into said first-named chamber, and a pair of dampers positioned on the intake side 1 of said blower and operable jointly to control independently the volume of air flowing to said blower and the amount of pressure reduction in said first-named chamber.

3. A burner control apparatus comprising a casing enclosing a space, a wall in said casing dividing said space into two chambers, one of said chambers having an outlet for supplying liquid fuel to a burner, means for maintaining a constant liquid level in the other of said chambers, a passageway extending vertically in said wall and having an inlet from said other chamber below said liquid level and having an outlet into said one chamber above said liquid level, a blower for supplying air to a burner, said blower having an air intake chamber having a pair of air inlets and being carried by said casin above said one alumnae enamber, tone :of saidjair iinlets openlngzinto i'said i sure in said onechamberirelativeto said other l Jnhamber, :a damper for controlling now :or :air throu'gh'saidiother inlet, aseconddampertfor'controllin flow of air .fromsaid airnintakerchamber to said blower, the pressure differential between said ichambers during operation or said lblOWBI' being operable to cause theiliquid infsaidpassage- "wa to rise :above said *liquid level and to discharge into "said one chamber, and .said *firstnamed 'and 'said second dampers being operable :uponfadjustment to 'determine indep endently both theyo'lume of 'air'delivered by'said blower and the amount of pressure reduction in said one chamber thereby controlling the :ratio "of air ffuel delivered to the burner.

1. 2A Iburner :oontrol apparatus comprising 'a 'casing enclosing :a space, a wall'in saidcasing dividin said space into two chambers, one=of said chambers having an outlet for supplying liquid fuel to a burner, means for maintaining a constant liquid level inthe other'of'said chambers, a passageway extending'vertically through :said wall and having an "inlet from said other "chamber below said liquid level and :having an outlet communicable with said one chamber, the point of discharge of liquid :from said passageway being above said liquid level, a blower -itor supplying air to 'a "burner ?'and carried by said casing and :closing the upper portionofisaid one chamber, -'a first inlet from :said one chamber to said blower, "second and third inlets from atmosphere into said one chamber, a damper :for controlling the flow ofrair'from said one chamber to said blower through said first inlet, "a second damper for controlling flow of air through said second inlet, said blower'bein p- *erable to draw air from said 'one chamberatopro- "duce a reduced pressure therein and to :cause air to flow into said one chamber through said second and third inlets, a Venturi tube "positioned in said third inlet, saidpassagewayiopening into said Venturi tube,said Venturi tube being operable in response to flow of air "therethrough to cause liquid in said passageway "to rise above said liquid level and to discharge through said Venturi tube into said .onecha'moer, the amount of fuel discharged into saidventuri varying with the linear velocity ofair passing 'therethrough, and said first and said second dampers being operableto determine independently both the volume of air delivered by said blower and the velocity'of air through'said Venturi 'tube thereby controlling the ratio of air to fuel delivered'to 'the'burner.

5. A burner control apparatus comprising 8 :means rimming a chamber havin -=aniioutlet dot supplying liquid fuel to a burner, means storming a-ssecond chamber, means for maintaining Pa constant 1 level in said second chamber, :a r-passageway interconnecting said chambers --Ior :fiow offfuel therebetween, means forming "an airsflow passageway for supplying air to -:a burner, a blowfer'rinterposed in said air flow passageway. 'a .pair' of dampers insaid air flowpassagew'ay,

and one of said chambers-opening into said air flow apassageway at a point between said *=da-mrpers, :said dampers being independently adjustcable and operable jointly to determine the volume-of airdischargedefrom said air flowipassageway by said blower and the pressure in said one chamber.

6. In a burner control apparatus: afuel efeedingmeanscomprising aliquid fuel supply chamber and an outlet ipassageway therefrom warranged -:therefrom to effect a flow of 5 fuel zin accord with a difierential of air pressurebetween said -chamber :and the outlet'end of said passageway; means forming an'air fiow passageway for 'supplying -air to a burner, a blower interposed-in said air flow passageway for effecting a flow of =air, -a pair=of dampers insaidi-air flow passagewayindependently adjustable to control both zthe -volume of air discharged therefrom and the airupressure in the passageway space lbetween the xdampers, and said fuel feeding means communicating with the passageway :space between said dampers so that the airiipressure differential thereacross will be varied-with adamper adjustment.

ANDREW \K.

REFERENCES .CI-TED rhefollowing references are of 'record in 'the I file of this patent:

, 'UNITEDSTATES PATENTS "France Dec. 2'7, i932 

